The recently released Global Corruption Barometer on Education 2013 is a new Transparency International study report. The report shows that the education sector is riddled with cases of corruption and it gives various recommendations on how to prevent or reduce it and build the next generation of a corruption free society (corruption fighters).

The study conducted was both qualitative and quantitative, to advance understanding of the dynamics of corruption in the sector. It focuses on providing examples of practical solutions. The Report details numerous practical steps to prevent the abuse of power, bribery and secret dealings from corroding the educational sector. It calls on governments, international organisations, businesses and civil society to ensure good governance is promoted in education policy all over the world.

In the report, Uganda has been commended as one of the very first African Countries to eliminate user fees in primary education  with the introduction of Universal Primary Education (UPE) supported by the international community, UPE  led to surges in enrolment, with millions more children now able to attend primary school and obtain basic education. The government also implemented policy reforms, including information campaigns and budget openness designed to give clients potential power over service providers.

However teacher absenteeism from 2004 to 2011 was one of the most serious forms of corruption in education worldwide.  Absenteeism rates for primary school teachers ranged from 11 to 30 percent globally.  In , indicated that Uganda’s absenteeism rate was 27 per cent, and that 5 teachers who were present were not actually teaching. The studies reveal that, in smaller schools, teachers have a higher propensity to miss class time than their colleagues in bigger schools.

While globally, absenteeism is significantly higher in underdeveloped regions, Poor health is one legitimate reason for missing class time.  Another factor is poor working conditions, which tend to be a disincentive for teachers, an example in the Uganda context is the Makerere University Lecturers’ pay rise strikes and the recent Teacher industrial action against Government for a salary rise.  The study showed that the quality of the school infrastructure has a significant impact on teacher attendance. Yet the education sector dominates most government budgets, sought to be an advantage to the beneficiaries yet prone to manipulation from the movers resulting to rampant corruption.

It is believed world over, that the reduction in teaching time negatively influences the overall quality of education, thus priority areas should include the need for more monitoring, further research and comparable information that can help analyse causes of absenteeism in multiple countries.  Additional experimentation and an evaluation of positive approaches are also necessary in improving the sector.

Breaking the corruption cycle can have important social, political and economic dividends.  Lower levels of bribery and greater levels of transparency have been shown to produce better educational results. Meanwhile, increased investment in education correlates to decreased corruption over time, which in turn leads to increased investment in education and higher quality schooling. It is essential that these governance breakdowns in the sector are addressed now and that any future education commitments put anti-corruption at the centre.

The Global Corruption Report: Education can be viewed online at www.transparency.org/gcr_education

Moses Karatunga